Pressure-applying mechanism for lap winding machine



Dec. 27, 1955 G. SMITH 2,728,531

PRESSURE-APPLYING MECHANISM FOR LAP WINDING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. N GRAYDON SMITH W ATT Y.

Dec. 27, 1955 G. SMITH 2,728,531

PRESSURE-APPLYING MECHANISM FOR LAP WINDING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l I II 1x \"m'mu. GRAYDON SMITH.

ATTY.

United States Patent "ice PRESSURE-APPLYING MECHANISM FOR LAP WINDINGMACHINE Graydon Smith, Concord, Mass., assignor to Whitin Machine Works,Whitinsville, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 11,1953, Serial No. 354,149

1 Claim. (Cl. 24255.l)

This invention relates to machines for winding laps of cotton or otherfibers into lap rolls to be supplied to cards, combers or to othersubsequently operating machines. The roll of loose cotton lap iscommonly supported by a pair of adjacent and continuously rotatedwinding drums, and is held in firm contact therewith by downwardpressure applied to the rod or shaft on which the lap is wound.

Weights or springs acting through brake shoes on a brake drum having apinion-and-rack connection to said rod or shaft are commonly used tosupply the downward pressure. As the lap roll increases in diameter, theshaft and rack bars are lifted thereby, with corresponding angularmovement and slipping of the brake drum relative to the brake shoes.

It has been found that pressure continuously applied by the brake shoescauses the brake drum and rack bars to move irregularly or with a jerkymotion, which in turn causes irregular pressure on the lap roll and withresultant thick and thin places in the lap.

It is the general object of my invention to provide improved mechanismfor applying pressure to the brake drums, which mechanism is so designedto allow a smooth and uniform upward movement of the rack bars and toprovide a uniform pressure on the lap roll.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claim.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in whichFig. l is a partial sectional side elevation of a lap winding machinehaving my improvements embodied therein and taken along the line 1-1 inFig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional plan view, taken substantially along theirregular line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of certain parts on an enlargedscale and taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown parts of a lap winder of usualconstruction and comprising a frame F rotatably supporting a pair ofadjacent winding drums and 11, a superposed series of calender rolls 12and a pair of guide and feed rolls 14.

The lap L is supplied to the calender rolls 12 and passes therefromthrough the guide-rolls 14 to the lap roll R which is wound on a looserod or shaft 16.

The winding drums 10 and 11 and calender rolls 12 and one or both of theguide-rolls 14 are continuously rotated, and the lap roll R is rotatedby its frictional contact with the drums 10 and 11 on which it issupported.

It will be noted that the drum 10 is at a substantially lower level thanthe drum 11, so that the lap roll R, when of full size, may be rolledoff of the drum 10 to delivery brackets 18 with very slight effort. Infact if the roll R is of sufiicient size, it will roll to deliveryposition autoplan view, taken along the line 2,728,531 Patented Dec. 27,1955 matically as soon as the pressure on the rod 16 is relieved.

Pressure is applied to the rod 16 by recessed blocks 20 mounted on rackbars 22, one such bar being supplied for each end of the rod 16. Eachrack bar 22 is engaged by a pinion 24 rotatable on a fixed stud 25 andis held in contact with said pinion by a guide-roll 27.

Gears are mounted to rotate with the pinions 24 and engage pinions 31and 32 on a brake shaft 34. A brake drum 36 is fixed to the shaft 34 andis engaged by brake shoes 40 and 41 (Fig. 3) mounted on studs 42 and 43on a brake lever to be described. Each brake shoe is provided with asuitable friction pad or liner 44.

Braking pressure for the shoes 40 and 41 is supplied by a spring (Figs.1 and 3) acting through a bolt 51 and nut 52 to apply pressure to theouter faces of lugs 53 and 54 on the free ends of the shoes 40 and 41.The pressure applied by the brake shoes may be regulated by adjustingthe nut 52.

A brake lever (Fig. 1) is loosely pivoted on the shaft 34 and one ormore weights 61 are adjustable on the outer end of the lever. The brakeshoe studs 42 and 43 are fixed in said lever.

Swinging movement or oscillation of the lever 69 is controlled by a rod62 (Fig. 1) which extends through a fixed bracket 63 and which isyieldingly positioned vertically by opposed springs 64 and 65 heldagainst the upper and lower faces of the bracket 63 by adjustable nuts66 and 67 threaded on the rod 62.

The rod 62 extends loosely through a vertical passage in a swivel block68 adjustable longitudinally on the lever 60. Upper and lower collars 70and 71 on the rod 62 limit upward and downward swinging movement of thelever 60, and the springs 64 and 65 cushion the engagement of the swivelblock 68 with the collars 70 and 71. The swinging movement of the lever60 is thus effectively limited and cushioned.

A double cam is loose on a short shaft 81 (Fig. 4) which is movablymounted in a bearing 83 in the lever 60. An arm 85 is fixed to one endof the shaft 81 and has an offset lug 86 which engages a guide-block 87on an arm 88 (Fig. 1) secured to a fixed stud 89.

The lug 86 is held yieldingly against the guide-block 87 by a tensionspring 90, connected at one end to the arm 85 and at the opposite end tothe brake shoe bearing stud 42.

A yoke member 92 (Fig. 4) is secured to the other end of the shaft 81and is provided with adjusting screws 94 which engage the opposite sidesof an offset arm 96 which is preferably formed integral with the doublecam 80. By adjustment of the screws 94, the relative angular relation ofthe cam 80 to the brake shoe lugs 53 and 54 may be conveniently adjustedand the cam locked to the shaft 81.

With this construction, swinging movement of the lever 60 with the brakedrum 36 will force the lug 86 of the arm 85 upward against theguide-block 87. As the upward movement of the lever continues, the arm85 will be given a slight anti-clockwise angular movement. Such angularmovement of the arm 85 will cause the double cam 80, which engages theinner faces of the brake block extensions 53 and 54, to slightlyseparate the brake shoes and allow the brake drum to turn until extrapressure on the lap roll R is relieved. The lever 60 then slips back toits normal operating range. The building up of excessive pressure on thelap roll is thus prevented, and a smooth upward movement of the rackbars 22 is insured.

For manual release of the brake drum, a hand lever 100 is mounted on across shaft 101 which is connected by an arm 102 and link 103 to the arm85. By use of the handle 100, the double cam 80 may be turned angularlyto re- 3 1 lease the pressure on the brake drum, so that the rack bars22 may be moved freely either upward or downward.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

Pressure-applying mechanism for a lap winding machine comprising aWinding roll, rack bars engaging said winding roll, a brake drum gearedto said rack bars, brake shoes engaging said drum, means including aweighted lever pivoted coaxially with said drum and frictionallydisplaced angularly therewith on increase of upward force on said rackbars, said brake shoes being pivoted on said lever at points radiallyoutside of said drum and movable with said lever about the axis of saiddrum, yielding means to force said shoes against said drum, separatingcam means pivotally mounted between said brake shoes and engageabletherewith but normally free therefrom, a fixed but adjustable device toturn said cam means to engage the shoes and relieve the brake-shoepressure on substantial displacement of said weighted lever by increaseof upward pressure .on said winding roll, and a spring to return the cammeans to normal inoperative position pursuant to release of said brakedrum for limited angular advance movement thereof when thus released.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,395,830 Jones Nov. 1, 1921 2,421,347 Merwin May 27, 1947 2,430,022Lambach Nov. 4, 1947 2,461,387 Medbery Feb. 8, 1949 2,594,925Higginbotham Apr. 29, 1952 2,640,655 Johnson June 2, 1953 2,648,100Henry Aug. 11, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 702,346 France Jan. 20, 1931 873,079France Mar. 2, 19 42

